Smart phone apps and analog photographers

[tim48v]

We're working on some smart phone apps to help out analog photographers. We're curious as to which operating system is the most commonly used in this environment. Please take our simple poll below and answer based on which system you'd use when taking photographs (not what you use at work.)

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Still, I don't see how there is a workable distinction between OS and Droid nor any significant takers for any other system. If you want to alienate Droids go with Apple, otherwise I think it needs to be compiled for both.

 

[dwerg85]

Still, I don't see how there is a workable distinction between OS and Droid nor any significant takers for any other system. If you want to alienate Droids go with Apple, otherwise I think it needs to be compiled for both.

Depends if they want to sell the app or not. The iOS store seems to be the best option still for developers trying to actually makes some money from whatever they put out.

But on the other hand it's more often than not a simple cash issue. Some people can only afford to develop one flavor of the app (most actually good apps are not simply a case of compiling a version for the other platform) so they go for the most popular one of the one who can give a better (chance at) ROI.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Depends if they want to sell the app or not. The iOS store seems to be the best option still for developers trying to actually makes some money from whatever they put out.

But on the other hand it's more often than not a simple cash issue. Some people can only afford to develop one flavor of the app (most actually good apps are not simply a case of compiling a version for the other platform) so they go for the most popular one of the one who can give a better (chance at) ROI.

I agree it is not necessarily about simple re-compiling (yet the inner logic remains largely the same), but feeding only one of them is still a substantial loss in potential downloads, no matter which one wins nor by how much this contest. Since the question is which one, I have to assume the knowledge is there to develop of either.

 

[KT5TE]

I agree it is not necessarily about simple re-compiling (yet the inner logic remains largely the same), but feeding only one of them is still a substantial loss in potential downloads, no matter which one wins nor by how much this contest. Since the question is which one, I have to assume the knowledge is there to develop of either.

For most of us it's a case of - it would be nice to have an such & such app, but ultimately it doesn't matter. I was Apple when Apple wasn't cool. In different words Mac & MS PC users look down their noses at us Apple & Unix (Sun) users. We didn't care, we did our own thing anyways. Still don't care, and for about 3 decades I've been using Linux, and 5.7 decades in a wet room. For people like me Android is a version of Linux. Besides, I have my notebooks & binders full of information needed to continue enjoy using film. Worse case situation, if I had to have iWhatEver or Android to use a killer app I would pickup one up for nothing on CraigsList or eBay. Then just stuff it in my bag or put it on the counter in the darkroom. I really doesn't matter because they all are just another tool.

 

[runswithsizzers]

I would particularly interested in an iOS app that would let me quickly and easily record shutter speed, aperture, iso, camera, lens, etc. while shooting analog - 135 for sure, and maybe medium format. Obviously, camera and film need be set only once per roll, while ss and f-stop are set per frame. The data should then be able to be exported in some format that can be used on a desktop computer (Mac, for me) - either as rich text, or comma separated values.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I would particularly interested in an iOS app that would let me quickly and easily record shutter speed, aperture, iso, camera, lens, etc. while shooting analog - 135 for sure, and maybe medium format. Obviously, camera and film need be set only once per roll, while ss and f-stop are set per frame. The data should then be able to be exported in some format that can be used on a desktop computer (Mac, for me) - either as rich text, or comma separated values.

Wouldn't a custom spreadsheet be enough for that? I mean without some cute "retina" sensor that can see camera settings and what horse is mounted on it without user input, it remains a manual entry for every piece of data, some once per roll, others for each frame.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

For most of us it's a case of - it would be nice to have an such & such app, but ultimately it doesn't matter. I was Apple when Apple wasn't cool. In different words Mac & MS PC users look down their noses at us Apple & Unix (Sun) users. We didn't care, we did our own thing anyways. Still don't care, and for about 3 decades I've been using Linux, and 5.7 decades in a wet room. For people like me Android is a version of Linux. Besides, I have my notebooks & binders full of information needed to continue enjoy using film. Worse case situation, if I had to have iWhatEver or Android to use a killer app I would pickup one up for nothing on CraigsList or eBay. Then just stuff it in my bag or put it on the counter in the darkroom. I really doesn't matter because they all are just another tool.

I was purely responding to what is being polled not to the idea in itself. On the latter I fully agree with you, and I am getting back to hand written letters to friends, let the good times come back. Enough digital buzzers for me anyways. I only have devchart on my phone, yet to think of anything else I am supposedly missing.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

We're working on some smart phone apps to help out analog photographers. We're curious as to which operating system is the most commonly used in this environment. Please take our simple poll below and answer based on which system you'd use when taking photographs (not what you use at work.)

And a quick question: I have just changed my vote to "none" meaning I do not want or care for one. Is this the implied significance of this option?

 

[grain elevator]

I assume you are aware that this forum has a lot of US Americans? And in the US AFAIK Apple has a higher market share than in most countries. So don't expect the results of this poll to be representative for a global market.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I assume you are aware that this forum has a lot of US Americans? And in the US AFAIK Apple has a higher market share than in most countries. So don't expect the results of this poll to be representative for a global market.

Is this real statistics or someone is just saying that (Apple having higher market share in US than elsewhere) as I seriously doubt that. Maybe 10 years ago, but crazy kids have taken over the market all over the world. Android is now a crime scene in every school.

 

[grain elevator]

I don't understand what you write about "crazy kids" and "crime scene". But yes, real statistics as far as I can tell, and still the case in 2019: https://deviceatlas.com/blog/android-v-ios-market-share

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I don't understand what you write about "crazy kids" and "crime scene". But yes, real statistics as far as I can tell, and still the case in 2019: https://deviceatlas.com/blog/android-v-ios-market-share

Sure, crazy kids go with the social flow, friend got it, I got to have too, Apple has become a new norm and as newest goes over to the richer, the replaced end up in the hands in not so rich. As result iPhones are far more wide spread today across the globe they ever were in the US some years back. So Android got relegated to lower ranks (or more mature ranks, and by mature I mean somewhat older human kind), kids feel it too, its somewhat racist in a sense, and I will not start comparing iOS to Droid feature for feature, as it is still a lost game before it starts. So I called Android a crime scene, don't do it if you can avoid it.

 

[amellice]

why not building the app with something like Apache Cordova or any agnostic mobile framework, then compile it to specific arch?

 

[tim48v]

First, thanks for all the comments! The results are pretty much what we expected. Note that we've received numerous emails from people that chose not to complete the survey. All told, the final numbers are closer to 45/45 than the poll shows (about 10% don't have a smart phone).

True, the obvious solution is to write for both Android and iOS. However, it isn't that simple:
1. While there are tools that allow you to develop apps for both systems, in our experience, they are a serious compromise and don't generate optimal apps. This is especially true since we'll need to get deep into the hardware (mainly the camera, surprise).
2. Designing the app is, to a large extent, the easy part (thought still pretty complicated). The real challenge is supporting it once it's released.

Right now we're still building the core functions. Once we're confident that we have the basics mastered, we'll ask for more feedback regarding the actual feature set.

 

[removedacct1]

I’m having difficulty imagining a smartphone app “to help analog photographers” that hasn’t already been built in at least half a dozen flavors. Not going to give us any hints as to its function??

 

[tim48v]

I’m having difficulty imagining a smartphone app “to help analog photographers” that hasn’t already been built in at least half a dozen flavors. Not going to give us any hints as to its function??

Nope.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Nope.

Sounds like you have a secret, but you don't. You would have done yourself a favor by not responding at all. I should have retracted my entry into this I suppose. What is the point of participating in a discussion that isn't.

 

[radiant]

I would particularly interested in an iOS app that would let me quickly and easily record shutter speed, aperture, iso, camera, lens, etc. while shooting analog - 135 for sure, and maybe medium format.

I'm using this one https://apps.apple.com/us/app/analog-film-roll-notebook/id1265215595 for this purpose.

 

[runswithsizzers]

I'm using this one https://apps.apple.com/us/app/analog-film-roll-notebook/id1265215595 for this purpose.

Thanks! I will check it out.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I have an iPhone, in the darkroom I have a metronome app and I set the screen to red.

 

[removedacct1]

What is the point of participating in a discussion that isn't.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[MattKing]

I have and use Android tablet computers, although rarely to take photos.
My flip phone is so rudimentary as to not be rightly considered a smart phone - it is just a really useful phone!
The nature of the app may give me an indication about whether to contribute to the poll.
If you want to aid Analog photographers, you should consider partnering with Modern Enlarger Lamps to help revive his LED variable contrast enlarger light source designed to be smart phone or tablet controlled - he had to shut it down due to the demands of supporting it through operating system changes.
An Android version please.

 

[radiant]

.. or an digital image source for darkroom; placing your phone inside the enlarger and controlling it through tablet or another phone to adjust contrast, exposure time, partial exposure etc. without need to remove the phone from the enlarger.

 

[tim48v]

Now that the patent has been filed, here's a hint.